Air compressor



L POCCIA AIR COMPRESSOR Filed June 16, 1925 Q Nov. 6,1923.

'1 Nov. 6, i923.

LORETO POCCIA, OF 14' CHECK, NEW YORK.

are common.

Application filed June 18 1923. Serial Ho. 645,898.

. ing gas engines whereby the converted en gine will perform both its original function of supplying motive or driving power and the function of acting as an air compressor. 4 With this object in view, I arrange a multi-cylinder gas engine in such a manner that one or more cylinders thereof are used as air compressors, the balance of the cylinders being used in the usual manner as parts of the power plant. Preferably, six cylinder engines are converted in this manner whereby two of the cylinders are used as air comressors, however, the invention is applicable to any'other type of multi-cylinder gas engine.

The arrangement is so provided that old automobile engines may be thus converted to perform'the above identified double function without the necessity of extensive alterations in the engine structure and assembly. The crank-shaft, the cam-shaft, the cooling system, the pistons and cylinders of the engine are left intact. However, the cams by means of which the intake valves of the air compressor cylinders are actuated, are so arranged that they will actuate the valves twice during each revolution of the cam shaft. The gasoline and ignition connectionsare severed from the air compressed cylinders and a new and improved exhaust valve is applied to such cylinders for controlling the connection between the cylinder and a compressed air storage tank.

As above stated, the invention is particularly applicable to automobile engines whereby the vehicle has a unitary power plant, and the arrangement is so provided that old en 'nes can be readily remodeled.

for various industrial uses where a portable air compressor 1s required.

The above and other features of the inplification of the invention and vention will more readily appear from the following detailed description of an exemthe appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of as much of an automobile engine as is necessary for a clear understanding "of the 1nvent1on;-Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a c linder used as an air compressor; and ea ig. 3 is a sectional enlarged view of an air exhaust valve.

The engine is mounted on a vehicle in the usual manne and consists of six cylinders,

1, 2, 3, 4-, 5 and 6. The engine comprises the usual crank shaft by means of which pistons provided within the cylinders are operated; a cam shaft 17 carrying six or more camsb means of which the gas valves of the cyinders are operated; gas supply '75 means, including a manifold 8, and ignition means including spark plug 7. The illus tration of the details of the engine construction are deemed unnecessary-inasmuch as the operation of such engines is well known in the art and may be varied within wide limits without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

The cylinders 1-4 are used for supplying the motive power to the vehicle, and the cyl- 95 inders 5 and 6 for compressing air. The

construction of these cylinders 5 and 6. is the same and they are as far as possible retained in their original form of gas engine cylinders. The spark plugs 7 are removed from cylinders 5 and 6, and'these are disconnected from the manifold 8 but remain connected with the'radiator 9 through the water connection 10. The heads 11 of these cylinders are filled in so that their inner surface is in close proximity to the piston 12 when the latter is fully raised by the crank shaft. As will be noted from Fig. 2, the usual gas exhaust valve 49 is rendered inoperative or it may be removed. Instead of being connectoo ed with the manifold these cylinders 5 and 6 connect directly'with the outside atmosphere through openings or air intake ports 13 and 14 controlled by. valves like 15. The

intake valves 15 are preferably identically the same as were provided for the cylinders of the gas engine. However, these valves are actuated by double cams 16 mounted on the cam shaft 17, the cams of the valves controlling cylinders 1 to 4 being arranged to actuatethem only once during each, revolution of the cam shaft 17. Preferably, these double cams are formed by simply adding a tailpiece to the usual cam provided on the shaft, cams serving the various valves being radially displaced with respect to each other.

Through the agency of a roller 18, the cam 16 lifts a rod 19 against the pressure of a spring 20, whereby during each revolutipn of the cam shaft 17 ,the valve 15 will be twice lifted to let air into the cylinder 5. Through a similar valve and cam, air is admitted to c linder 6 twice during each revolution of shaft 17. I

The spark lugs 7 of cylinders 5 and 6 are replaced y air exhaust valves 21 and 22 the construction of which is shown more in detail in Fig. 3, the gas exhaust valves being permanently disconnected. The yalves 21 and 22 consist of a cylindrical casing 23 screw threaded at 24 to engage with the internally screw threaded seat of the spark plug in the cylinder head 11. The cover 28 of the casing 23 is seated on a shoulder formed in the casing and is provided with a plurality of apertures 25. The bottom of casin 23 is closed by means of a disc 26 provide with an opening within which fits a valve 27 having sleeve shaped shank 29.

The top 28 of the casing 23 has a downwardly projecting lug 3O terminating in a sleeve 31 projecting within the sleeve 29. A spiral spring 32 provided within the sleeves 29 and 31 rests with one end against the lu 3G and with its other and against the va ve 27 and holds it down to close the exhaust port in the disc 26. The sleeve 29 is provided with a number of perforations 33 throu h which lubricating material may be introduced Within this sleeve when the casing 23 is unscrewed from the cylinder head and without the necessit of disassembling the valve structure. T e top of the valve casing 23 is screw threaded at 34 with which a union 35 cooperates to connect the valve with a pipe 36 leading to a storage tank 37.

The operation of the compressor will be clear from the above. Air entering within a cylinder 5 or 6 when the valve 15. isopened by the cam 16 is compressed during the upward travel of the piston 12, the valve 15 being closed at this time. The compressed.

air lifts the valve 27 against the action of spring 32 causing sleeves 29 and 31 to telescope, whereby t e compressed air is driven from'the cylinder 5 through the exhaust port in the disc 26, the opening 25, and the pipe 36 into the tank 37. The compressed air may then be conducted from the tank 37 for the ultimately desired purpose. It should be noted that the cams 16 of the cylinders 5 and 6 are radially displaced with respect to each other whereby these two cylinders will successively operateto dispatch compressed air into the tank 37 It should be noted also that the cooling jacket 38 of invests cylinders" 5 and 6 are connected with the radiator 9 serving all the cylinders of the en ine.

hen it is desired to operate the en ine without storing compressed air, the va ves 15 of cylinders 5 and 6 are lifted and the roller 18 on the rod 19 is held out of engagement with the cam 16 by a wedge 40. This Wedge is seated on a guide sleeve 41 surrounding rod 19 and fixed with respect thereto and cooperates with a disc or Washer 42 fixed to the rod. When the wedge 40 is displaced from right to left (Fig. 2) it will ride over the washer 42 and will therefore lift the rod 19 and roller 18 out of engagement with the cam 16. The valve 15 will thus be permanently opened. The Wedge 40 is maintained in its actuated position by a notch 43 provided therein engaging a projection 44 provided on the washer 42.

Through a strip 45, the wedge 40 is con-.

cylinders farthest removed from the fan 39.

If the cylinder-nearest the fan were used for this purpose, then the fan would spread the lubricatin associated va ve over the other cylinders.

Otherwise, any one of the cylinders may be I equipped as a compressor and as many of the cylinders may be equipped in accordance with the present invention as is deemed necessary and advisable.

During the operation of the valves 21 and 22, the lubricating oil in these valves will be partially carbonized and the carbon particles will be deposited on the various parts of the valve structure. The carbon deposit will be thickest on that part of sleeve 31 which is nearest lug 30 because during the telescopic cooperation of the two sleeves, the sleeve 29 will usually not reach to said part of sleeve 31 and will therefore not scrape the carbon off this part of sleeve 31. Should the two sleeves be telescoped to an exhaust where one is entirely pushed within the other, the thick layer of carbon on sleeve 31 might cause the stickin of sleeve 29 whereby valve 27 would e maintained open. In order to obviate this, said part of sleeve 31 is ground off or narrowed at 50. The surface of the sleeve 31 bein lower at 50 than at other points where it is continuously cooperatin with sleeve 29, a fairly thick layer of car on may be deposited therematerial leaking out of the ating them as air compressors.- This may be counter-balanced to a great extent by' a proper adjustment or timing of the ignition and gas supply systems. The manner in which such adjustments should be made will vary with the difi'erent makes of engines and the characteristics of the particular engine in hand. As is the case with all automobile engines, such adjustments m'ust be changed from time to time depending on the quality of gasoline, temperature, the general condition of the engine and the work to be performed. Furthermore, these drawbacks are fully compensated by the saving efl'ected in making possible the quick and inexpensive conversion of old. automo bile engines and their use for supplying both motive power and compressedair.

What I claim is:

1. In a gas engine, a cylinder, a piston operating therein, an air inlet for said cylinder, a valve therein, a cam on the cam shaft of said engine for opening said valve twice during each revolution, an air exhaust opening in said cylinder, and a valve in said exhaust opening responsive to compressed air in said cylinder.

2. In a gas engine for vehicles, a cylinder, a piston" operating therein, a cylinder head the inside surface of which is in close proximity of the piston when fully raised, an

air inlet to said cylinder, a spring pressedv valve'therein, a cam for opening said valve twice during each revolution of the cam, an outlet from said cylinder leading to a compressed air storage tank, and a spring pressed valve in said outlet and responsive to compressed air in said cylinder.

3. In a gas engine for vehicles, a cylinder,

said cylinder, a valve therein, a cam on the cam shaft of said engine for opening said valve twice. during each revolution of the camshaft, an air exhaust opening in said cylinder, a casing surrounding said exhaust opening attached to said cylinder, a valve registering with said exhaust opening, a sleeve projecting from said valve, a second sleeve telescopically cooperating with said sleeve, a spiral spring within said sleeves engaging at" one end said last mentioned valve and at its other end the casing, apertures in said first mentioned sleeve, apertures in the top of the casing, and an air pipe surrounding the top of the casing.

4. In an air valve for gas engine cylinders, an exhaust port, a valve therein, a sleeve shaped shank for the valve, apertures therein through which lubricating material may be introduced, a casing surrounding saidvalve, a cover for said casing provided with apertures, a sleeve downwardly projecting from said cover and telescopproper a piston operating therein, an air inlet to-4:

ically cooperating with said shank, a portion of said sleeve projecting from said shank, being relatively narrow, and a spring within said sleeve separating said valve and cover.

5. In a gas engine for vehicles, a cylinder, a piston pperating therein, an air inlet to said cylinder, a spring pressed valve therein, a cam for opening said valve twice during each revolution, an. outlet from said cylinder leading to a compressed air storage tank, a valve in said outlet and responsive to compressed air in said cylinder, and telescoping sleeves supporting said valve, a portion of one of said sleeves projecting from the other havin a lowered surface.

In witness w ereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 15th day of June, 1923.

LORETO POCCIA. 

